tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post4722641692877086137..comments2024-03-28T02:36:04.078-07:00Comments on Health Correlator: Strength training: A note about Scooby and comments by AnonNed Kockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-91481718969737014442012-01-11T06:22:16.928-08:002012-01-11T06:22:16.928-08:00Hi, listen, I'm pretty new on this blogosphere...Hi, listen, I'm pretty new on this blogosphere and Internet thing, so I don't know if there's a sort of "subscription" method that I can use in order to receive notifications of your new entries...? Thing is I enjoy reading your blog a lot and I'd like to be up to date with your posts!Viagra Online without prescriptionhttp://www.mutualpharmacy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-15311298373166561292011-12-11T11:59:35.160-08:002011-12-11T11:59:35.160-08:00Isometrics & rehab setting. http://www.reddit....Isometrics & rehab setting. <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/lr627/is_there_any_effect_from_flexing_your_muscles_as/c2v1khp" rel="nofollow">http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/lr627/is_there_any_effect_from_flexing_your_muscles_as/c2v1khp</a> 'Here's a good article on isometric training. [link]'<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Martinberkhan/status/145593891356291073" rel="nofollow">http://twitter.com/#!/Martinberkhan/status/145593891356291073</a>gwarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059000185578090757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-73131063480154490662011-12-09T14:41:25.146-08:002011-12-09T14:41:25.146-08:00He is pretty old school (even drinking "GOMAD...He is pretty old school (even drinking "GOMAD" which many on reddit r/fitness dismiss), and you can google his name to see him deadlift 600lbs in his prime. He did a recent Ask Me Anything thread (I believe he is 55years old). Here is what <a href="http://www.facebook.com/martinberkhan/posts/290730690971349" rel="nofollow">he had to say about Crossfit</a><br /><i><br />"I tried CrossFit for 2 years. It exacerbated my injuries, produced some significant health problems, forced me to rationalize the illogic of the program in public, and set my strength back about 5 years. I'm just now recovering. So I'll be more careful in the future about trying things that actually make no fucking sense.<br />Not that 5/3/1 is one of these programs. Wendler and I are good friends, and his program works well for a guy in the right stage of training advancement.<br />...<br />We all have our demons to wrestle. I fucked up. Sorry. But now that you know, what are you going to do?" <br /></i><br /><br />[Had to post 4 times because of 4096 char limit. His 3rd edition has colored graphics for the "Fig" notes]gwarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059000185578090757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-63073713100808840892011-12-09T14:40:12.880-08:002011-12-09T14:40:12.880-08:00...
Figure 2-3. Muscular actions on the knee. The...<i>...<br /><br />Figure 2-3. Muscular actions on the knee. The anterior force provided by the quadriceps is balanced by the<br />posterior force provided by the hamstrings in the deep squat position. The depth is the key: partial (high) squats<br />are predominately quadriceps/anterior, and lack balance.<br />10<br />muscles, and glutes perform their function in the squat when the hips are stretched to the point of<br />full flexion, where they get tight — the deep squat position (fig. 2-3). The hamstring muscles,<br />attached to the tibia and to the ischial tuberosity of the pelvis, and the adductors, attached<br />between the medial femur and various points on the medial pelvis, reach a fu]l stretch at the very<br />bottom of the squat, where the pelvis tilts forward with the torso, stretching the ends of the<br />muscles apart. At this stretched position they provide a slight rebound out of the bottom, which<br />will look ]ike a "bounce," and which you will l e a r n more about later. The tension of the stretch<br />pulls the tibia backwards, the posterior direction, balancing the forward-pulling force produced by<br />the quadriceps, which pull from the front. The hamstrings finish their work, with help from the<br />adductors and glutes, by straightening out, or "extending," the hip.<br /><br />In a partial squat, which fails to provide a full stretch for the hamstrings, most of the force<br />against the tibia is upward and forward, from the quadriceps and their attachment to the front of<br />the tibia below the knee. This produces an anterior shear, a forward-directed sliding force, on the<br />knee, with the tibia being pulled forward from the patellar tendon and without a balancing pull<br />from the opposing hamstrings. This shearing force — and the resulting unbalanced strain on the<br />prepatellar area — may be the biggest problem with partial squats. Many spectacular doses of<br />tendinitis have been produced this way, with "squats" getting the blame.<br /><br />The hamstrings benefit from their involvement in the full squat by getting strong in direct<br />proportion to their anatomically proper share of the work in the movement, as determined by the<br />mechanics of the movement itself. This fact is often overlooked when considering anterior<br />cruciate tears and their relationship to the conditioning program. The ACL stabilizes the knee: it<br />prevents the tibia from sliding forward relative to the femur. As we have already seen, so does the<br />hamstring group of muscles. Underdeveloped, weak hamstrings thus play a role in ACL injuries,<br />and full squats work the hamstrings while partial squats do not. In the same way the hamstrings<br />protect the knee during a full squat, hamstrings that are stronger due to full squats can protect the<br />ACL during the activities that we are squatting to condition for. In fact, athletes who are missing<br />an ACL can safely squat heavy weights, because the ACL is under no stress in a correctly<br />performed full squat (fig. 2-5).<br />Another problem with partial squats is the fact that very heavy loads may be moved, due to<br />the short range of motion and the greater mechanical efficiency of the quarter squat position.<br />This predisposes the trainee to back injuries as a result of the extreme spinal loading that results<br />from putting a weight on his back that is possibly in excess of three times the weight that can be<br />safely handled in a correct deep squat. A lot of football coaches are fond of partial squats, since it<br />allows them to claim that their 17 year-old linemen are all squatting 600 lbs. Your interest is in<br />getting strong (at least it should be), not in playing meaningless games with numbers. If it's too<br />heavy to squat below parallel, it's too heavy to have on your back.</i>gwarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059000185578090757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-79518553608679074942011-12-09T14:39:44.172-08:002011-12-09T14:39:44.172-08:00...
The squat has been the most important yet most...<i><br />...<br />The squat has been the most important yet most poorly understood exercise in the training<br />arsenal for a very long time. The full range of motion exercise known as the squat is the single<br />most useful exercise in the weight room, and our most valuable tool for building strength, power,<br />and size (fig. 2-1).<br />The squat is so effective an exercise because of the way it uses the muscles around the core<br />of the body. Much is made of core strength, and fortunes have been made selling new ways to<br />train the core muscles. A correct squat perfectly balances all the forces around the knees and the<br />hips, using these muscles in exactly the way the skeletal biomechanics are designed for them to be<br />used, over their anatomically full range of motion. The postural muscles of the lower back, the<br />upper back, the abdominals and lateral trunk muscles, the costal (ribcage) muscles, and even the<br />shoulders and arms are used isometrically. Their static contraction supports the trunk and<br />transfers kinetic power from the prime movers to the bar. The trunk muscles function as the<br />transmission while the hips and legs are the engine. Notice that the core of the body is at the<br />center of the squat, that the muscles get smaller the farther away from the core they are, and that<br />the squat works them in exactly this priority<br />(fig. 2-2). Balance is provided by the<br />interaction of the postural muscles with the<br />hips and legs, starting on the ground at the<br />feet and proceeding up to the bar, and<br />controlled by a massive amount of central<br />nervous system activity under the conscious<br />direction of the athlete's mind. In addition,<br />the systemic nature of the movement when<br />done with heavy weights produces<br />hormonal responses that affect the entire<br />body. Not only is the core strengthened, it<br />is strengthened in the context of a total<br />physical and mental experience.<br />The squat is poorly understood<br />because it involves the use of many muscles<br />- more than most people realize - and<br />most of the people that don't understand it<br />have never done it correctly themselves.<br />This means that they can't appreciate the<br />true nature of the movement and the<br />interactions of all the muscles working in a<br />coordinated manner, since to truly<br />understand a thing it must be experienced<br />personally. The more people who learn to<br />squat correctly, the more people who will<br />understand the squat and, like ripples in a<br />pond, knowledge and strength will spread<br />through the masses. This process starts<br />here, with you.<br /><br />The full squat is the preferred lower body exercise for safety as well as athletic strength.<br />The squat, when performed correctly, is not only the safest leg exercise for the knees, it produces a<br />more stable knee than any other leg exercise. The important part of the last statement is the<br />"when performed correctly" qualifier. Correctly is deep, with hips dropping below level with the<br />top of the patella. Correctly is full range of motion.<br />Any squat that is not deep is a partial squat, and partial squats stress the knee and the<br />quadriceps without stressing the glutes, the adductors, and the hamstrings. The hamstrings, groin<br /><br /></i>gwarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059000185578090757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-64111992835790891932011-12-09T14:36:29.768-08:002011-12-09T14:36:29.768-08:00Re:"To this end single legged squats are vast...<i>Re:"To this end single legged squats are vastly superior to double legged squats. They invoke balance and provoke the activation of not only the primary movers but the stabilization muscles as well. <br />...<br />Hi Scott. Right, full range seems unnatural, at least for some movements. I don’t do full squats either; I do them isometrically. "<br /></i><br />Have you heard of <a href="http://is.gd/U87b0i" rel="nofollow">StartingStrength</a>?<br /><br />It's what <a href="http://is.gd/pIdzlj" rel="nofollow">MartinBerkhan of leangains.com</a> recommends for beginners. From the StartingStrength book (you can buy the 3rd edition on amazon):<br /><br /><i> The problem, of course, is that machine-based training did not work as it was advertised. It was almost impossible to gain muscular bodyweight doing a circuit. People who were trying to do so would train faithfully for months without gaining any significant muscular weight at all. When they went to barbell training, a miraculous thing would happen: they would immediately gain — within a week — more weight than they had gained in the entire time they had fought with the 12- station circuit.<br /><br /> The reason that isolated body-part training on machines doesn’t work is the same reason that barbells work so well, better than any other tools we can use to gain strength. The human body functions as a complete system — it works that way, and it likes to be trained that way. It doesn’t like to be separated into its constituent components and then have those components exercised separately, since the strength obtained from training will not be utilized in this way.<br /><br /> The general pattern of strength acquisition must be the same as that in which the strength will be used. The nervous system controls the muscles, and the relationship between them is referred to as “neuromuscular.” When strength is acquired in ways that do not correspond to the patterns in which it is intended to actually be used, the neuromuscular aspects of training have not been considered. Neuromuscular specificity is an unfortunate reality, and exercise programs must respect this principle the same way they respect the Law of Gravity.<br /><br /> …<br /><br /> Machines, on the other hand, force the body to move the weight according to the design of the machine. This places some rather serious limitations on the ability of the exercise to meet the specific needs of the athlete. For instance, there is no way for a human being to utilize the quadriceps muscles in isolation from the hamstrings in any movement part that exists independent of a machine designed for this purpose. No natural movement can be performed that does this. Quadriceps and hamstrings always function together, at the same time, to balance the forces on either side of the knee. Since they always work together, why should they be exercised separately? Because somebody invented a machine that lets us?</i>gwarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059000185578090757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-66911032812320834272010-12-13T10:49:07.107-08:002010-12-13T10:49:07.107-08:00So does deceleration or changing direction suddenl...So does deceleration or changing direction suddenly while running. I used to like reading some of Thibaudeau but he seemed to be more into body building instead of pure performance based training if I remember correctly. Though it has been a while since I followed some of these guys.Justin Cainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-82379409688325978942010-12-13T06:30:25.135-08:002010-12-13T06:30:25.135-08:00Hi Avishek, thanks. I wouldn’t have thought of ecc...Hi Avishek, thanks. I wouldn’t have thought of eccentric-less training as truly natural. If one climbs a tree, he or she has to get down. Going down involves eccentric movements.Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-63402187767162981532010-12-12T15:51:20.700-08:002010-12-12T15:51:20.700-08:00I will definitely check this man out again, I have...I will definitely check this man out again, I have sene his youtube videos but I was not into bodybuilding at the time.<br /><br />Since this post is somewhat about natural movements, and another commenter posted about poor recovery times, I guess i'll mention eccentric-less training, a term coined by Christian Thibaudeau. It basically includes any movement where the eccentric component of the muscular contraction is not under any load, save for those generated by the bodyweight. This includes pushing, pulling, climbing, and carrying things. I've noticed much faster recovery times from these types of exercises with similar increases in strength. I think it's another great way to prevent injury, and also a great recovery workout for some. Thibeudeau points to studies showing impaired insulin sensitivty after eccentric training. I'm jsut throwing this out there, but if you'r einto strength training, pushing a heavy cough around, or your car, and pulling things, is a great additionAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05678720294816251435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-10852985638883988162010-12-12T07:29:23.909-08:002010-12-12T07:29:23.909-08:00Hi Justin. Thanks much for your comments and the l...Hi Justin. Thanks much for your comments and the links!Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-70648332007093874732010-12-12T06:30:47.888-08:002010-12-12T06:30:47.888-08:00Sorry, here is the Cressey et el. paper.
http://j...Sorry, here is the Cressey et el. paper.<br /><br />http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2007/05000/The_Effects_of_Ten_Weeks_of_Lower_Body_Unstable.47.aspx<br /><br />JustinJustin Cainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-87787641133633499512010-12-12T06:01:58.936-08:002010-12-12T06:01:58.936-08:00Ned,
Here are a couple abstracts:
http://journal...Ned,<br /><br />Here are a couple abstracts:<br /><br />http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2004/08000/Maintenance_of_Emg_Activity_and_Loss_of_Force.43.aspx<br /><br />http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2004/08000/Maintenance_of_Emg_Activity_and_Loss_of_Force.43.aspx<br /><br />Cressey is on that paper.<br /><br />Proprioception is the other thing that is improved while doing unilateral work and unstable surface training. You could take it a step further by closing your eyes or performing the exercise in a dark room.<br /><br />Doing unstable surface work can be fun though and that may be enough of a reason to include it in ones training regiment even if it may be questionable about the efficacy of it (I'm still not quite sure on that one).<br /><br />Thanks<br />JustinJustin Cainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-79402763815202934672010-12-12T04:59:39.929-08:002010-12-12T04:59:39.929-08:00Good post Ned. When I was a trainer I used to imp...Good post Ned. When I was a trainer I used to implement a lot of unilateral work with my clients. Pistols (one legged squats) are one of my favorites. Even though I don't work out anymore I still try to do these on a regular basis when I am bored :). If I had some extra money I would purchase a set of power blocks, an adjustable bench and one of those old Schwinn Airdyne stationary bikes where the arms move. I could do some real damage with that equipment. There was a lot of debate going on a few years ago when it came to the efficacy of unstable surface training in a non rehab setting. Some pretty decent strength coaches were completely against it (Eric Cressy and others) because it actually hurts force output and may actually facilitate dysfunctional motor patterns. Hyper mobility of the joint may be another effect of this kind of training. I will see if I can dig up some of the studies if I can get a chance. Thanks again for the post on strength training and the previous exercise science related posts. It is nice to revisit a lot of that stuff after years of being away from it.<br /><br />Justin CainJustin Cainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-81557219206243988672010-12-11T16:23:15.281-08:002010-12-11T16:23:15.281-08:00Here is a solid statement from Scooby’s site that ...Here is a solid statement from Scooby’s site that I think many people should consider:<br /><br /> “So what is a reasonable expectation for how much muscle you can add in a year thru weightlifting? … you can expect to add 5 lbs muscle per year if you are a hard gainer and 10 lbs muscle if you are one of the gifted few.”<br /><br />This is for someone who is no longer growing. And by 5 lbs of muscle he means 5 lbs of lean body mass. That is not only muscle. For example, glycogen stores, in both liver and muscle, usually become larger if you do strength training and replenish those stores on a regular basis.Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-88295270745829778442010-12-11T16:21:20.722-08:002010-12-11T16:21:20.722-08:00Scooby’s advice on avoiding injuries is based on f...Scooby’s advice on avoiding injuries is based on first-hand experience. In a few of his videos he is clearly in pain from one injury or another, and he talks openly about them.Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-56345929011554189102010-12-11T16:21:06.745-08:002010-12-11T16:21:06.745-08:00Hi Scott. Right, full range seems unnatural, at le...Hi Scott. Right, full range seems unnatural, at least for some movements. I don’t do full squats either; I do them isometrically. Neither do I do lunges.Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-55522287514752545132010-12-11T16:20:46.305-08:002010-12-11T16:20:46.305-08:00Hi Tyler, thanks. Yes, the differences are not tha...Hi Tyler, thanks. Yes, the differences are not that huge. By the way, I do think that eating like he suggests either maximizes or gets pretty close to maximizing muscle gain. Multiple meals is not my thing, but it works.Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-38563154120232360012010-12-11T16:20:26.289-08:002010-12-11T16:20:26.289-08:00Hi js290. When we lift free weights we tend to rec...Hi js290. When we lift free weights we tend to recruit quite a few muscles that stabilize our position, in addition to the main muscles worked – e.g., various back muscles in the standing military press. Using weight machines at the gym just doesn’t have the same effect.Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-18148616421799700532010-12-11T16:19:43.946-08:002010-12-11T16:19:43.946-08:00Yes Anne, Scooby is a funny guy.Yes Anne, Scooby is a funny guy.Ned Kockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755560885749335053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-64116161993025594142010-12-11T15:35:33.025-08:002010-12-11T15:35:33.025-08:00I have recently become a believer in not working o...I have recently become a believer in not working out at full range of motion for all exercises...tire of getting injuries in my weakest range. Recovery from injuries just keeps you away from the weights for longer than I like (I'm 46). <br /><br />I like his point that we don't functionally perform in our full range of motion most of the time...would you squat all the way to your heels before starting to push a car out of a ditch? No, you would instinctively work in your strongest range of motion.<br /><br />The other thing I'm learning more and more about is FULLY recovering between workouts. Committing to 3 days a week, or whatever, no matter what, has always eventually gotten me overtrained as my poundages increased.<br /><br />...and gawd I despise lunges of any sort. Squat yet, lunges no. Maybe I'm not designed for them. I used to force myself but finally decided life is too short and there are other good exercises. Whenever I see someone doing them I can appreciate how really hard they are working.<br /><br />Scott WScott Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10687098328064801055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-13315957084052922552010-12-11T11:13:51.753-08:002010-12-11T11:13:51.753-08:00Really cool post, I think the idea of "push d...Really cool post, I think the idea of "push during the peaks, back off during the valleys" is really important. <br /><br />Although I'm 21 and train for a sport (decathlon) I notice that if I break that rule too far (I probably have a larger amount of leeway than a 59 yr old), progress comes to a screeching halt. <br /><br />Another thing this post made me think about- this person seems to be very good at applying only the required amount of stress to the body, not too much. As I understand it, different types of stress (physical, emotional, etc) are recognized as one by the body. Making sure the right "dose" of cumulative stress is applied seems to lead to long term results without burn out.<br /><br />On the topic of Scooby's nutrition, I checked out his nutrition page out of curiosity. You'll notice he recommends: <br /><br />-a good protein intake<br />-unprocessed foods<br />-lots of fresh vegetables<br />-up to 25% calories from fat<br />-no simple sugar, alcohol, or white flour<br />-plenty of fish and omega 3's<br /><br />My point is that probably 80-90% of his recommendations match up pretty closely with a paleo or evolutionary nutrition type plan. This is probably why it works for him- he got a lot of things right and is obviously one of the few who has a great tolerance for grains. <br /><br />By the way, this blog is really great, I learn a lot from the information, Ned.<br /><br />TylerTylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08223993198275363812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-3293320583985208892010-12-11T09:26:59.499-08:002010-12-11T09:26:59.499-08:00What are stabilizer muscles and how are they diffe...What are <i>stabilizer muscles</i> and how are they different than regular skeletal muscles?js290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8859456735165996893.post-32797528315242093012010-12-11T09:08:22.053-08:002010-12-11T09:08:22.053-08:00Scooby's working out with a friend video is hi...Scooby's working out with a friend video is hilarious :-)Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07160051347588051524noreply@blogger.com